Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Richard Portnow (born January 26, 1947) is a prolific American character actor who played Howard Stern's father, Ben in the movie Private Parts. He has appeared on The Sopranos and many other films, video games, and television shows such as Hannah Montana and Boston Legal.
Known For
Complete Filmography

Dog Patrol
2025
as Oscar Golden
Samuel and his friends along with his trusted dog Athena have to go for the adventure of a lifetime, matching wits with a mob boss to solve Oscar's ri...

Roe v. Wade
2021
as Justice William Douglas
Dr. Bernard Nathanson and Dr. Mildred Jefferson square off in a national battle in this untold conspiracy that led to the most famous and controversia...

Frank and Ava
2020
as Walter Winchell
A destitute Frank Sinatra pursues sultry starlet Ava Gardner while campaigning for the lead in 'From Here to Eternity'.

Stakeout
2019
as Pat Reed
A young private investigator in LA tows the line between danger and heartbreak as he tries to help a woman to commit fraud in order to get the money h...

Holly Day
2018
as Benny
In a twist on a Dickens novel, we meet Holly, a tightly-wound businesswoman who's spent her life running from the ghosts of her past. But this holiday...

Higher Power
2018
as Charles Margrey
When the Universe decides what it wants, it's pointless to resist. With his family's life at stake, Joseph Steadman finds himself the unwilling test s...

Andover
2018
as Shamus Trout
Genetics professor Adam Slope clones his wife Dawn after she dies in a fire but the woman he creates is different than the woman he loved, so he tries...

Café Society
2016
as Walt
The story of a young man who arrives in Hollywood during the 1930s hoping to work in the film industry, falls in love, and finds himself swept up in t...

Trumbo
2015
as Louis B. Mayer
The career of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo is halted by a witch hunt in the late 1940s when he defies the anti-communist HUAC committee and is blacklist...
Parallel
2015
as Stewart
A brilliant mathematician travels through time and space in search of the knowledge that would allow him to control his life and alter the events of h...

Nanny Cam
2014
as Detective Jones
Linda has a seemingly perfect marriage with her rugged and handsome husband Mark and an adorable 8 year old daughter, Chloe. But when Chloe is injured...

This Last Lonely Place
2014
as Jason Pure
On his last night on the job, an unsuspecting LA cab driver gets roped into helping a wealthy investment banker cover up a brutal crime.

Oldboy
2013
as Bernie Sharkey
A man has only three and a half days and limited resources to discover why he was imprisoned in a nondescript room for 20 years without any explanatio...

Underdogs
2013
as John Handon II
The story of a small-town high school football team in rural Ohio destined to play their cross-town rival, a perennial powerhouse, while standing up f...

In the Dark
2013
as Detective Archer
Aspiring artist Ali must rebuild her life after a tragic accident kills her husband and their young child, and leaves her blind. Life in the dark prov...

Hitchcock
2012
as Barney Balaban
Following his great success with "North by Northwest," director Alfred Hitchcock makes a daring choice for his next project: an adaptation of Robert B...
A Night of Nightmares
2012
as Cliff Tanner
When the world is infected by a devastating disease a man is forced to take shelter in his home.

2 Jacks
2012
as Lorenzo
Jack Hussar is a legendary Hollywood director, whose persona commands respect and adoration from his fans. Can his son, Jack Jr. maintain his legacy?

Imaginary Friend
2012
as Dan
During her traumatic childhood with an abusive father, Emma relied on an imaginary friend for strength. She is now an artist struggling with mental il...

The Christmas Pageant
2011
as Leo Brenner
Vera Parks, an overly intense and demanding Broadway director, gets fired from yet another job, leaving her no choice but to take a gig directing a sm...

The Wish List
2010
as Lenny
Sarah Fisher, an overly organized, by-the-numbers kind of woman, makes a "wish list" of all the qualities and traits her future husband should have. A...

Killer by Nature
2010
as Walter
The troubled teenager Owen Whitmore has a sleep disorder and occasionally sleepwalks. Owen is having therapy sessions with Dr. Katherine Ramos. Having...

Law Abiding Citizen
2009
as Bill Reynolds
A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family's killers free. He targets not only the killer...

Life Is Hot in Cracktown
2009
as Guy from 4 K
Various stories of how crack cocaine has infiltrated the inner-city streets. Based on Buddy Giovinazzo's novel "Life is Hot in Cracktown".

The Minis
2009
as Jack
A talented team of basketball players made up of little people enters a tournament to help a teammate's son go to college.

Under New Management
2009
as Carmello Conforte
Sparks and bullets fly when a Wall Street yuppie must steer a Brooklyn mob crew legit before a beautiful FBI agent can build RICO indictments against ...

The Spirit
2008
as Donenfeld
A Rookie cop named Denny Colt returns from the beyond as The Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces from the shadows of Centr...

Good Time Max
2008
as Head Administrator
Two genius brothers grow up and grow apart as one becomes a successful surgeon and the other pursues a drug-fueled high life.

Tinker Bell
2008
as Minister of Autumn (voice)
Journey into the secret world of Pixie Hollow and hear Tinker Bell speak for the very first time as the astonishing story of Disney's most famous fair...

Chasing Robert
2007
as Ed Thorton
Alan is a gambler desperate to erase the huge sports debt he owes to a cruel but quirky Chicago mobster.

Perfect Stranger
2007
as Narron
A journalist goes undercover to ferret out businessman Harrison Hill as her best friend's killer. Posing as one of his temps, she enters into a game o...

The Indian
2007
as Elliot
"The Indian" is a touching drama about a negligent father who must face the son he abandoned years earlier, and the emotional wreckage he caused, in o...

National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
2006
as Sergeant
A celebration of the ever increasing depravity of television in our society-- it's a channel surfing adventure through the most utterly ridiculous spo...

Find Me Guilty
2006
as Max Novardis
Based on the true story of Jack DiNorscio, a mobster who defended himself in court for what would be the longest mafia trial in U.S. history.

Meet the Mobsters
2005
as Jerry Kaminski
Down-and-out lounge singer Johnny Slade is hired by a mystery man to open a hot new club, the catch being he's given a new--and terrible--song to sing...

Trump Unauthorized
2005
as Mayor Ed Koch
A look at the life of real estate king/media mogul/reality TV star, Donald Trump.

Under the City
2005
as Minks

Tony n' Tina's Wedding
2004
as Vinnie Black
Tony and Tina are excited to get married but they dread having the ceremony. Tina's mother and Tony's father used to be an item and neither parent has...

Poolhall Junkies
2002
as Toupee Jay
A retired pool hustler is forced to pick up the stick again when his brother starts a game he can't finish.

Double Bang
2001
as Lieutenant Shatkin
An honest cop enters the dark world of murder and corruption.

Zigs
2001
as Arnold Zigman
Four young gamblers come up with a plan to get out of debt with a fixed game.

Laughter on the 23rd Floor
2001
as Harry Prince
Inspired by Neil Simon's early career experience as a junior writer for Your Show of Shows, the play focuses on Sid Caesar/Jackie Gleason-like Max Pri...

The Unscarred
2000
as Tommy Matolla
Four exchange students meet in Berlin 20 years after graduating but picking up where they left off doesn't turn out to be as easy as they had hoped.

The Ghost of Spoon River
2000
as Agent Cicarelli
A big-city lawyer is called home to defend a local man accused of murder. Based on the Spoon River Anthology

Happy Accidents
2000
as Trip
A comedy that pays tribute to the science fiction genre -- specifically, the sub-genre of time travel. But here the alternate reality is contemporary ...

Fallen Arches
2000
as Nicky Kaplan
Transplanted from New York, Duke and his brother Frankie Romano live in a rundown LA apartment with their alcoholic mother (Karen Black).

Witness Protection
1999
as Niko
Would you be willing to walk away from everyone and everything you've ever known in exchange for your safety? This is the question facing career crimi...

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
1999
as Handsome Frank
An African-American Mafia hit man who models himself after the samurai of ancient Japan finds himself targeted for death by the mob.

The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All
1999
as Vincent Lo Russo
At a college visit to a war buddy's professor daughter, mercenary Treat Williams finds her brutally beaten. He then poses as a teacher to teach a less...

Ballad of the Nightingale
1999
as Arnie D'Angelo
A down-on-her luck prostitute embarks on a wild adventure that puts her in contact with the Mafia.

Road Kill
1999
as Charboneau
Alex is the film student forced by his college professor to stop making Jackie Chan "homage" films and make "something from the heart" in order to gra...

Postal Worker
1998
as Dr. Nicolas Brink
A time bomb is ticking in a small regional postal facility and his name is Oren Starks (Brad Garrett). Oren fits the profile of a new breed of killers...

Milo
1998
as Lieutenant Parker
Four young grade-school girls witness the murder of one of their classmates during what they thought was just an innocent game. The killer is a strang...

Desert Thunder
1998
as Adm. Le Clair
Terrorists threaten to launch a missile armed with deadly disease at Europe. A special unit is put together to stop them.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
1998
as Wine Colored Tuxedo
Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo drive a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycl...

My Giant
1998
as Producer
Sammy, an agitated agent lost in the forest of the modern world, happens upon a gentle giant with a tall talent for friendship named Max.

Shadow of Doubt
1998
as Marvin Helm
An attorney uncovers a political conspiracy in the brutal killing of a wealthy young woman.

Lured Innocence
1997
as Jack Shelby
A reporter sent to cover a murder trial discovers a web of deceit stemming from a torrid affair.

Guy
1997
as Al
A filmmaker picks a "real" subject to shoot, and when she sees Guy on the street, she latches onto him. At first, Guy is enraged that someone is just ...

Bella Mafia
1997
as Anthony Moreno
Following the brutal murder of her husband and male kin, Sophia unites with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, in a fierce quest for vengeance agai...

Mad City
1997
as Brackett's Agent
A misguided museum guard who loses his job and then tries to get it back at gunpoint is thrown into the fierce world of ratings-driven TV gone mad.

Private Parts
1997
as Ben Stern
The life and career of shock-jock superstar Howard Stern is recounted from his humble beginnings to his view from the top. Possessing a desire to be a...

Bogus
1996
as M. Clay Thrasher
Recently orphaned, a young boy is taken in by his godmother who is shocked to realize that she can see the boy's imaginary friend: a flamboyant, Frenc...
Donor Unknown
1995
as Hal Cooney
Type A insurance fraud investigator Nick Stillman has his life extended by a heart transplant, only to be dismayed to discover that his donor was murd...

Se7en
1995
as Dr. Beardsley
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film t...

Ed McBain's 87th Precinct: Lightning
1995
as Monaghan
In New York two detectives of the 87th precinct are initially baffled by the brutal, ritualistic slayings of several young women. Through good detecti...

Man of the House
1995
as Joey Renda
Ben Archer is not happy. His mother, Sandy, has just met a man, and it looks like things are pretty serious. Driven by a fear of abandonment, Ben trie...

Lipstick Camera
1994
as Detective Vorkopich
Ambitious young woman wants to get into TV news. She borrows a small camera from a friend and obtains incriminating pictures that two former East Germ...

Across the Moon
1994
as Roy
Two young women bond while living together out in the California desert to be close to their boyfriends who are serving time at the nearby state priso...

S.F.W.
1994
as Gerald Parsley
An alienated and misanthropic teenager gains sudden and unwanted celebrity status after he's taken hostage by terrorists where his indifference to the...

Trial by Jury
1994
as Leo Greco
Valerie is a juror in the trial of a mob boss. When her young son's life is threatened, she has no option other than to see that justice isn't done.

Dragstrip Girl
1994
as Det. Dryden
Johnny is a bad guy trying to go straight and becomes smitten with Laura, a wealthy good girl who is rebelling against her parents, all set among the ...

Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
Ray investigates the murder of a psychiatrist.

Based on an Untrue Story
1993
as Disturbing Caller
Perfume creator Satin Chau is about to reveal her new designer scent, 'Puppy,' when she is cruelly struck down by a rare condition called anosmia, whi...

Night Eyes 3
1993
as Kaplan
A security guard falls for a famous TV actress he is hired to protect while dealing with mobsters who want his hide for some sour business deal.

Heart and Souls
1993
as Max Marco
A fateful night in 1959, four people die when the bus they are riding crashes. They continue as ghosts; their souls become eternally entwined to the l...

There Goes the Neighborhood
1992
as Marty Rollins
A dying prisoner whispers the location of his loot to the facility's psychologist, who heads to the New Jersey suburbs to find it. Two prisoners overh...

Sister Act
1992
as Willy
A Reno singer witnesses a mob murder and the cops stash her in a nunnery to protect her from the mob's hitmen. The mother superior does not trust her,...

Beethoven
1992
as Ammunition Company Representative (uncredited)
The Newton family live in their comfortable home, but there seems to something missing. This "hole" is filled by a small puppy, who walks into their h...

Father of the Bride
1991
as Al - the Tux Salesman
George Banks is an ordinary, middle-class man whose 22 year-old daughter Annie has decided to marry a man from an upper-class family, but George can't...

For the Boys
1991
as Milt, Recording Studio
Talented USO entertainer Dixie Leonard and comedian Eddie Sparks deal with their relationship over the course of 5 decades from World War II to the Vi...

Barton Fink
1991
as Detective Mastrionotti
A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
1991
as Dave Barrett
A gangster who has commited all kinds of crimes is accused to have killed his wife. As he was not the murderer in this case Perry Mason intents to fin...

Kindergarten Cop
1990
as Captain Salazar
Hard-edged cop John Kimble gets more than he bargained for when he goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to get the goods on a brutal drug lord wh...

Havana
1990
as Mike MacClaney
During the revolution, a high-stakes gambler arrives in Cuba seeking to win big in poker games. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with the wif...

Tune in Tomorrow...
1990
as Uncle Luke
Martin works at the local radio station, which just hired a new scriptwriter with a reputation for great drama, Pedro Carmichael. Martin’s aunt Julia,...

Chattahoochee
1990
as Dr. Debner
In 1955 Florida, a Korean vet has a breakdown and is incarcerated in a "maximum security" mental health prison, where patients are abused.

Meet the Hollowheads
1989
as Mr. Crabneck
The Hollowheads are a strange, futuristic family that live in a Jetsons type world complete with many cool gadgets. Henry is hoping for a promotion at...

Peter Gunn
1989
as Spiros
Peter Gunn, a connoisseur of beautiful women and cool jazz, is an ex-cop turned private eye who's caught in the middle of a dangerous gang war.

A Deadly Silence
1989
as D.A. Ed Jablonski
The father of three children was killed when he left his house. This provokes a lot of sentimental emotions in the neighbourhood because the people kn...

Say Anything...
1989
as Agent Stewart
Lloyd, an eternal optimist, seeks to capture the heart of Diane, an unattainable high school beauty and straight-A student. He surprises just about ev...

Original Sin
1989
as Vincent
When his son is kidnapped a man has to face his past demons in speaking to a Mafia don about it.

Twins
1988
as Chop Shop Owner
Julius and Vincent Benedict are the results of an experiment that would allow for the perfect child. Julius was planned and grows to athletic proporti...

In Dangerous Company
1988
as Kellog
A beautiful woman seduces and tricks a hitman in order to save her own skin.

Good Morning, Vietnam
1987
as Dan 'The Man' Levitan
A disk jockey goes to Vietnam to work for the Armed Forces Radio Service. While he becomes popular among the troops, his superiors disapprove of his h...

Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam
1987
as Harry Long
Perry investigates the murder of a former madam and uncovers a multimillion dollar banking fraud in the process.

The Squeeze
1987
as Ruben
Harry Berg is both a con artist and an actual artist -- he constructs large sculptures out of television sets -- but he is not particularly successful...

The House of Blue Leaves
1987
as Billy Einhorn
On the day in 1965 that the Pope visits New York and masses of people line the streets in adulation, Artie, a zookeeper living in Sunnyside, Queens, t...

Tin Men
1987
as Carly
A minor car accident drives two rival aluminum-siding salesmen to the ridiculous extremes of man versus man in 1963 Baltimore.

Radio Days
1987
as Sy
The Narrator tells us how the radio influenced his childhood in the days before TV. In the New York City of the late 1930s to the New Year's Eve 1944,...

Wanted: Dead or Alive
1987
as Agent
Nick Randall is a Los Angeles-based bounty hunter and an ex-CIA operative who is asked by a former co-worker to help track down terrorist Malak Al Rah...

Courage
1986
as Frankie Ce De Baca
A mother in Queens, New York, outraged when she discovers that her son is a drug addict, becomes an undercover agent for the DEA to clean up the drug ...

Desperately Seeking Susan
1985
as Party Guest
A bored New Jersey suburban housewife's fascination with a free-spirited woman she has read about in the personal columns leads to her being mistaken ...

Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer
1983
as Bartender
A New York detective and a victim's colleague hunt a killer who preys on single women.